Tongs.



G. THOMPSON.

TONGS;

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1912.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

% 72507; By M GEORGE THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TONGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

Application filed May 20, 1912. Serial N 0. 698,457.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE THOMPSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, at present residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tongs adapted for use for many purposes, such as cleaning windows; cleaning or polishing metals; taking cloths out of hot or boiling water; cleaning toilet and bath tubs; for handling coal or wood; swabbing out various kinds of vessels; and for preventing injury to the hands of an operator where acids or other strong cleansing fluids are employed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, but durable device easily operated, not liable to get out of order, and easily kept clean.

The details of construction of my invention are hereinafter particularly described.

In the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved tongs in a normal position. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the jaws in an open position. Fig. 3 is a front end view of the jaws shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively side and edge elevations of a modified form of the gripping or jaw members.

According to my invention the tongs are formed out of a single piece of steel or like wire bent at the center, indicated at 1, thus providing tw'o oppositely disposed arms 2. That portion of the wire adjacent the bend 1, forms the handle of the tongs or the part which is gripped by the hand of the operator when the tongs are in use, such act holding the jaws together.

At a predetermined distance above the handle portion, the arms 2 are bent in opposite directions as at a a and cross each other alternately at the extremities of these bends as at b 7) when their ends extend spaced apart and substantially parallel for a further predetermined distance.

In the preferred form of my invention, I provide jaws 8 on the free ends of the arms 2 which jaws are secured to the ends of the arms in any suitable manner so that they project toward each other. The meeting surfaces of these jaws are preferably beveled in an opposite direction (as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3) there being a transverse groove 4 in the beveled surface of one jaw, while the beveled surface of the other jaw has a transversely projecting rib 5 adapted to enter the groove 4 in the other jaw when the jaws are brought together, and to firmly grip an object placed between the jaws.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modification ofthe jaws, in which the free ends of the arms 2 are rabbeted and bent toward each other at right angles to the arms so that they overlap at the rabbeted portions.

The bends a a provide a means for spreading apart the free ends of the arms 2 and thus separating or opening the aws 3.

Spring tongs as heretofore made, in some instances have jaws adapted to be brought together over the object to be lifted or grasped, by pressure of the hand upon the wire arms, and in such cases the jaws spring apart when the pressure upon the arms is released. In such cases care must be had to hold the jaws from springing apart and thus allowing the object to drop. In other instances the jaws are normally closed and are opened by pressure upon the handle portion of the tongs. In these cases care must be taken after an object has been grasped by the jaws that suflicient pressure is not put upon the handle to open the jaws and allow the object to drop before it is desired to do so.

By the use of my invention there is no risk of the jaws releasing their grip on the object accidentally, as such jaws are normally in contact and when an object has been placed bet-ween them the tension of the spring arms is suflicient to hold such object for most purposes, but it will be readily seen that by gripping the handle the jaws are positively prevented from opening; and it will also be readily seen that when desired to release the object grasped by the jaws, such jaws are easily opened by gripping that portion of the arms at the bends a a by the hand and applying a slight pressure.

The alternate crossing of the arms 2 steady and strengthen the tongs and assure the jaws moving in true alinement.

I claim as my invention- 1. A pair of tongs consist-ing of a single piece of wire bent without coil at its center by which two oppositely disposed arms are provided, jaws secured to the free ends of said arms and projecting toward each other, one of said jaws having a transverse groove and the other jaw being provided with a transverse rib on their meeting surfaces, and said arms being alternately crossed and bowed forming two hand grips whereby the said jaws may be held together or separated.

2. A pair of tongs consisting of a single piece of wire bent without coil at its center by which two oppositely disposed arms are provided, jaws secured to the free ends of said arms and projecting toward each other, the meeting surfaces of said jaws being beveled in opposite directions, there being a transverse groove in the beveled surface of one jaw, and a transversely projecting rib on the beveled surface of the other jaw adapted to enter the groove in the opposite jaw when the jaws are brought together, said arms being alternately crossed and bowed, forming two hand grips whereby the said jaws may be held together or separated.

Signed by me this 13 day of May 1912.

GEORGE THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

BERTHA M. ALLEN, MARIE D. Vv OHLERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

